


Love and Some Verses You Hear

by drjamband



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Connor cries, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Pride and Prejudice References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-25 02:17:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4942894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drjamband/pseuds/drjamband
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver is always good to Connor--making him dinner, rubbing his back, saying "I love you."  Connor thinks he doesn't deserve Oliver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love and Some Verses You Hear

**Author's Note:**

> THIS COUPLE GIVES ME LIFE.

It was so silent in the apartment that Connor nearly fell off the couch in surprise at the sound of his ringtone.  He glanced at the screen and sighed, muting the phone and turning back to his textbook.

“Your mom again?” Oliver asked.

Connor sighed.  He had six voicemails from his mom--five begging him to call her back and one reprimanding him for not answering when she called.

“Why don’t you just get it over with?  Like a ripping off a Band-Aid, you know?” Oliver said.

Connor turned to him.  “I can’t talk to her right now.”  Oliver didn’t look away.  “I’m busy.  I have this Civil Procedure exam next week, and I have this mock contract due for Legal Practice Skills.”

Connor listened to the voicemail that night, after Oliver had fallen asleep.

_“Connor, honey, please call me back.  I knew that school wouldn’t be good for you--do you have any time for fun?  Please tell me you’re not working too hard.  Is anyone taking care of you?”_

He chucked the phone to the floor and curled up against Oliver, listening to his deep, even breaths.

\-----

The next week had been hell.  On Monday, Connor finally called his mom only to endure a fifteen-minute tirade about how he couldn’t even keep his life together enough to let her know he wasn’t dead on the side of the road somewhere, and then he’d told her he was seeing someone, which of course prompted an immediate invitation back to Michigan to spend the entire summer at his parents’ house with Oliver in tow.  He wasn’t going to subject his boyfriend to the misery of his mother’s verbal poking and prodding, especially for four whole months.

On Tuesday Professor Waxman had called him out for not paying attention during a Torts lecture, to Connor’s utter humiliation.  Professor Waxman even had Connor stay behind after class, warning him that he wouldn’t “be so lucky next time.”  That night, Oliver made hamburgers, and when Connor’s vision went blurry from studying, Oliver closed _Contracts: Cases and Doctrines_ , exchanged Connor’s button-down for a soft t-shirt, and curled up with him under the bed’s plush comforter.

On Wednesday morning they had a new client, a CEO accused of pocketing money donated to his non-profit.  Annalise had them on no sleep trying to figure out where the money actually went while also investigating the company’s board, the CEO’s wife, and the bank.  Oliver offered to bring him dinner, but Connor told him Annalise might flip if she thought Connor wasn’t one hundred percent committed to the case, and that they’d probably order from the Han Dynasty on 37th and Market.

He was finally able to come home Thursday night and was looking forward to leftover spaghetti and watching TV with Oliver, but Oliver wasn’t home.  Connor found a note on the refrigerator:

_Connor--_

_Got called in to fix bug in security system.  I swear, sometimes these people are fucking morons.  I’ll text you when I’m on my way in case you’re asleep.  I love you._

_\--Ollie_

Connor went straight to bed, his appetite gone.  Some time in the early hours of the morning when the sky was gray and pink, he felt Oliver slide into bed.  “Oll,” he mumbled, rolling over and finding warm skin.

“Shh,” Oliver soothed, stroking a hand over Connor’s messy hair.

When Connor woke, Oliver was already gone.  Connor wondered if maybe the night before had been a dream.

\----

Friday had them in court all day for the CEO’s trial.  Connor tried not to slump in his seat, but his body felt exhausted.  He would be perfectly okay with not moving all weekend.

He snuck a glance at his phone and saw he had a text from Oliver.  As quietly as he could, he left the courtroom and locked himself in a bathroom stall.

_Sorry I wasn’t home last night or this morning.  I’m leaving early today.  Good luck in court.  P &P when you get home? (Firth version, obviously.)  I love you._

Connor took a shaking breath and was just about to call his boyfriend when the bathroom door opened and someone called out his name.

“Connor?  Are you in here?”

“Michaela?” he asked, unlocking the stall and peering out.

“Connor, is something wrong?” Michaela asked, approaching the half-open door.

“Why are you in the men’s room?”

“You looked worried back there.  I didn’t exactly think sending Asher in here would be the right move.”

Connor laughed, but it was watery and choked.

“Is everything okay?” Michaela asked.

Connor let the door fall completely open and dropped back down on the toilet seat.  Michaela knelt down in front of him, her hands on his knees.

“Is it Oliver?  Is something wrong?”

Connor shook his head and wiped his nose on his sleeve.  Michaela handed him a wad of toilet paper.  “Nothing’s wrong.  It’s just...been a long week.  First my mom left me like a thousand voicemails, and when I called her back she yelled at me because I don’t call her enough.  Then Tuesday sucked, and you know Wednesday was awful.  When I finally got home on Thursday Oliver was at work late and he left early this morning and he just texted me saying he wants to watch TV together tonight and that he loves me.”  Connor stopped, running a hand through his hair.

“And you don’t want to watch TV tonight?” Michaela asked after a pause.

“No, I do!” Connor said.  “I just...I don’t deserve him.  He’s so good and...and I feel like I don’t appreciate him enough.  He makes me dinner and makes sure I don’t fall asleep at the table while I’m studying.  He lets me pick the movie sometimes even though I always pick one he doesn’t really like.  Sometimes, when I’m really stressed, he does this thing where he rubs my back, but like with his nails.  And he kisses this spot on my shoulder because he knows I like it even though I never told him.”  Connor paused.  “I’m just afraid one day he’ll see me, really _see_ me, and realize he could do better.”

Michaela squeezed his thighs, and Connor looked at her.  “You care about him, Connor.  You care about his feelings or else you wouldn’t be worrying about this.  Have you told him that you appreciate him?"  She paused.  "Have you told him that you love him?”

“Yes.  Well, I mean, not...I mean only during…”

“I got it,” Michaela said, holding up her hand.  “Tell him for real.  Tell him what you told me.  Tonight.”  Connor nodded.  “They’re about to start up again,” she said, looking at her watch.  “You think you can make it through the rest?”

Connor stood.  “Yeah, just...just one sec.”

Michaela smiled and left the bathroom.

Connor opened Oliver’s text and read it again.

_P &P sounds good.  Talk when I get home._

\----

Connor jammed his key in the lock, eager to get inside the apartment.  Once the door opened, he threw his bag and coat in the direction of the coat rack and headed towards the bedroom.

“Hey, you’re home,” Oliver said, stepping out into the hallway.

Connor crashed into him, burying his face in the soft skin of Oliver’s neck and holding on tight.

“Well I’m glad to see you too,” Oliver said, hugging back.  “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked after Connor didn’t pull away.

Connor stepped back, framing Oliver’s face with his hands.  He breathed in deep through his nose, exhaling shakily.  “I love you.  I need you to know that I love you.”

“Okay, I know.  Is something bad happening?”

“No, no,” Connor mumbled, shaking his head.  “I realized this week that you’re so good to me, and I just take from you and I don’t give you anything.  I haven’t even told you I love you outside of, well...sex.  But I do.  I love you and you take care of me and I know I’m a huge asshole and never say thank you or show you how much I care about you, but you always make me feel good.  Like I’m worthy of...of good.  I never...I mean I haven’t....I thought you might leave.”

“Leave?”

“Yeah.  When you realized I wasn’t good enough for you.”

“I see,” Oliver said.  “And when was I supposed to realize that?”

Connor didn’t reply.

“Connor, you don’t know what it means to me that you’re here with me.  You do show me you care.  For Christ’s sake, you moved in to show me how much you want to be with me.  I know you doubt whether or not you’re a good person sometimes, but you _are_.  I see you, Connor.”

Connor couldn’t hold it in any longer--he let hot tears fall down his cheeks and over his nose and lips.  He sniffed as Oliver pulled him close, held on tight as his insecurity boiled over and onto Oliver’s t-shirt.

Soon, his cries turned to hiccups and his tears dried sticky on his cheeks.  Oliver led him to the couch, the TV all ready for their marathon.  Connor reached back and pulled the soft afghan over them both.  He lifted his arm so Oliver could fit against his side, Oliver’s head on Connor’s chest.  Connor leaned down, his face against Oliver’s soft hair, inhaling the scent of Oliver’s cinnamon shampoo.  He closed his eyes and kissed the top of Oliver’s head, earning a contented hum.  He pulled his phone from his pocket and got a quick picture of the two of them.  He opened a new text and sent the picture to Michaela.  For once, he didn’t think anything needed to be said.

**Author's Note:**

> Han Dynasty is FOR REAL. I haven't actually been to the Market Street location, but I went to the one in NJ and it was awesome. So if you're in the area definitely try it.


End file.
